From Stars to Life: Stellar Impacts on Planetary Atmospheres, Habitability, and Biosignatures Detection

The workshop addresses critical themes at the frontier of astrophysics and exoplanetary science. As the discovery of exoplanets continues to expand, understanding the complex interplay between stars and their planets becomes essential for advancing our knowledge of planetary evolution and the conditions required for life.

Stellar activity plays a fundamental role in shaping planetary environments. The interaction between a host star’s magnetic activity, radiation, and wind with a planet’s atmosphere can lead to significant atmospheric erosion, influencing a planet's ability to retain an atmosphere and potentially sustain life. Exploring the detailed mechanisms of star-planet interaction will provide insights into how stellar activity affects planetary atmospheres over time.

Planetary atmospheres themselves are key indicators of habitability. This symposium will focus on the latest observational techniques and modeling efforts to characterize planetary atmospheres, assess atmospheric erosion, and understand the underlying photochemical processes. Additionally, atmosphere-interior exchange plays a critical role in the formation of a secondary atmosphere by recycling volatiles and other elements through volcanic outgassing, tectonic activity, and mantle degassing. This process replenishes and reshapes the atmosphere after the loss of a primordial atmosphere due to processes like stellar radiation and impact erosion.

Planetary atmospheres are crucial for biosignature detection, which is essential for identifying planets with potential biological activity. The impact of stellar activity and planetary atmospheric erosion on habitability is a major scientific goal. Understanding the factors that govern whether a planet can support life requires multidisciplinary approaches, combining stellar physics, atmospheric science, and astrobiology.

By bringing together experts in these fields, this symposium aims to foster collaborations, share the latest research, and push forward the boundaries of our understanding of habitability beyond our Solar System.

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